The Tampa, Florida, company SynDaver is touting the fact that its lifelike Surgical Canine simulator is used at three of the nation’s top 10 veterinary colleges.
Cornell University, Texas A&M University and the University of Florida placed second, fourth and ninth, respectively, on U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 rankings of 26 U.S. veterinary schools.
SynDaver’s Surgical Canine model supports 30 different surgical procedures.
“The model can breathe and bleed similar to a live canine, and it has individual muscles, vasculature, bones, organs (with and without pathologies) and more, with many components being removable and replaceable so veterinary students can repeat surgical procedures until they feel confident in their skills,” the company stated.
Cornell assistant professor Galina Hayes, BVSc, Ph.D., DACVS, DACVECC, echoed that view in a university news report last fall.
“Surgery is very much a hands-on skill,” Dr. Hayes was quoted as saying. “The SynDaver units create a learning environment where surgical procedures can be effectively taught and practiced while minimizing the risk of exposing live patients to the errors a novice surgeon may commit.”
SynDaver models range in price from $17,000 to $32,000, Cornell reported.